Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says his country refuses to recognize the rebel National Transitional Council as Libya’s legitimate government.He says Moscow is still ready to deal with the Benghazi-based council as a side for negotiations to determine Libya’s future.

Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister, said, “It means once again that those who declare recognition of the Libyan rebels stand fully on the side of one political force in a civil war which is ongoing in Libya. It means once again that the supporters of such a decision are the supporters of the policy of isolation. In this case, of isolation of those forces that represent Tripoli.”